Winner: 2025 九州影院 Biology Interface early career Prize: Norman Heatley Award
Dr Pietro Sormanni
University of Cambridge
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2025 Norman Heatley Award: awarded for pioneering the development of computational methods for antibody design and optimisation, enabling transformative advances in biomedical research and therapeutic antibody engineering.
Antibodies are a key component of the body鈥檚 molecular defence: they recognise one specific target 鈥� such as a virus, a tumour marker, or a toxin 鈥� with extraordinary selectivity. Because of this precision, they have become central to medical diagnostics and laboratory research, and are an increasingly important class of life-saving drugs.
At present, new antibodies for a target of interest are discovered either by first-generation methods, mostly relying on animal immunisation to harvest the antibodies produced by their immune systems, or by second-generation approaches, relying on laboratory screens that sift through huge antibody libraries to find those binding to the intended target.
Though successful, both routes are still slow, costly and, in the case of animal immunisation, ethically challenging. They also leave important problems unsolved: obtaining antibodies that bind a predetermined region (epitope) on the target, and ensuring that promising binders also possess the right balance of stability, solubility and low immunogenicity required for safe, effective medicines.
Dr Pietro Sormanni鈥檚 group at the University of Cambridge is pioneering a third-generation alternative: designing antibodies computationally before a single experiment is run. By training artificial-intelligence models on vast, ever-growing databases of antibody sequences and 3-D structures, the team can predict designs that will not only latch onto a chosen epitope but also display the biophysical traits needed for therapeutic use, such as high stability, high solubility and low tendency to provoke immune reactions.
The group has also forged multiple partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to test their algorithms on real-world applications, and to accelerate the translation of their research, as partnering with makers of drugs or diagnostics is the best way to bring the benefits of this type of research to society. Computational antibody design promises to shorten development timelines, cut costs, reduce animal use and offer uniquely precise control over the resulting molecules. In turn, this could give society faster, more affordable diagnostics and next-generation treatments for cancer, neurodegeneration, emerging infections and beyond.
Biography
Dr Pietro Sormanni grew up in the city of Milan, in northern Italy. Intrigued by how physical laws give rise to complex systems, he studied theoretical physics at the University of Milan spending a year in London, at Queen Mary and UCL working on cosmology. Then, a masters project simulating protein folding convinced him that molecules, not galaxies, would be his universe.
Pietro moved to Cambridge for a PhD in chemistry under the supervision of Professor Michele Vendruscolo, where he built computer models to predict and re-engineer protein behaviour, and discovered a passion for antibodies as precision tools for both medicine and basic science. Then, a Borysiewicz Biomedical Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowship let him trade code for pipettes, mastering antibody production and biophysical techniques.
After a stint as principal scientist leading a team in a biotech start-up, Pietro secured a Royal Society University Research Fellowship and founded his independent group in the Yusuf Hamied Department of 九州影院 of the University of Cambridge. Drawing on his multidisciplinary background 鈥� physics, chemistry, computation, wet-lab science and industry 鈥� his team is pioneering the development of third-generation antibody discovery to enable the rapid and reliable design of antibodies at a computer.
Some of their methods are licensed by major pharmaceutical companies and underpin many collaborations on neurodegeneration, infectious diseases, and cancer. Pietro has authored more than 75 publications, filed four patents and delivered keynote lectures on computational antibody engineering worldwide. Beyond research, he teaches protein folding and stability, mentors early-career scientists, and promotes open, cross-disciplinary research.
Computational antibody design promises to shorten development timelines, cut costs, reduce animal use and offer uniquely precise control over the resulting molecules. In turn, this could give society faster, more affordable diagnostics and next-generation treatments for cancer, neurodegeneration, emerging infections and beyond.
Dr Pietro Sormanni
Q&A with Dr Pietro Sormanni
Tell us about somebody who has inspired or mentored you in your career.
Throughout my career, I have benefited from the guidance of several remarkable scientists. Professor Guido Tiana, my master鈥檚 thesis supervisor in Milan, first showed me how the rigour of physics can illuminate biology. During my PhD, Professor Michele Vendruscolo taught me to pair that quantitative mindset with creativity, emphasising clarity in both ideas and writing, and encouraged me to think boldly across disciplinary boundaries; his mentorship still shapes every project I lead. One figure who profoundly influenced me was the late Professor Sir Chris Dobson. I met him when working as a PhD student and later worked in the Centre for Misfolding Diseases he co-founded. Beyond his scientific vision, he had an extraordinary gift for making people feel valued and empowered; after every conversation with him, I left both happier and more ambitious. His example of intellectual generosity, kindness, and interdisciplinary curiosity remains a daily compass for me. I am also grateful to many senior collaborators and mentors (among all Prof Sara Linse, Prof Tuomas Knowles, Prof Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, and Karina Prasad), who, by sharing their time and perspectives, have helped me navigate academia and industry and reinforced the power of collaborative science.
What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?
Keep your curiosity broad. The most exciting advances now arise at the borders between disciplines 鈥� chemistry with physics, computer science, engineering or medicine 鈥� so cultivate a willingness to learn neighbouring languages and to collaborate widely. Enjoy the journey and don鈥檛 stress about getting to the destination. Scientific careers seldom follow a straight line. Unplanned detours often lead to the most rewarding experiences. Aim to ask good questions, build sound methods, and supportive networks, and let success emerge as a by-product of doing work that genuinely fascinates you while working with people you admire.
What does good research culture look like/mean to you?
At the beginning of my career, I assumed good culture would just 鈥渉appen鈥� if I worked hard and treated people well. I soon learnt that shared values need to be stated and constantly revisited by incorporating feedback from others. Leadership courses during my Borysiewicz Fellowship, plus plenty of trial-and-error, helped me distil what matters most to create a happy research environment where everyone can thrive: inclusivity, openness, rigour and kindness. Today, a healthy research culture feels like a well-lit room: everyone can see clearly, speak, and be heard. There are no dark corners. It starts with genuine inclusion 鈥� people of every background and at any career stage feel they belong and their ideas matter. Collaboration then comes naturally; wins are shared, setbacks processed together. Clear, transparent communication is the oil that keeps the machine running, allowing us to admit and normalise mistakes and learn from them. We challenge data and conclusions, never people. I still don鈥檛 have all the answers, but by listening to the team and adjusting course, we strive to keep 鈥渢he room well-lit鈥� and the science thriving.
How are the chemical sciences making the world a better place?
Chemical insights can turn biological discoveries into life-saving medicines, re-engineer plastics so they biodegrade instead of polluting, and build batteries that store renewable energy for a fossil-free grid. Chemists are making catalysts that turn carbon dioxide into useful fuels, creating sensors that monitor air and water quality, and crafting fertilisers that feed billions while minimising environmental harm. Whenever we transform matter 鈥� whether to treat diseases or to power, protect and nourish the planet 鈥� the chemical sciences provide the concepts, techniques and molecules that make it possible.
Why do you think collaboration and teamwork are important in science?
Modern scientific questions 鈥� for example, those related to my field, such as 鈥榳hat are the molecular events underpinning cancer or neurodegeneration?鈥�, 鈥楬ow can we neutralise a new pathogen in weeks, not years?鈥� 鈥� are too complex for any single mind or approach. Collaboration knits together complementary skills: in my own work, physicists or mathematicians build models, chemists tweak molecules, biologists run assays and provide insights, and industry partners test predictions against real drug pipelines. When those pieces click, progress accelerates, and blind spots shrink. What begins as 鈥渕y project鈥� often becomes 鈥渙ur discovery鈥�. Teamwork also cultivates intellectual humility. Explaining your ideas to someone outside your niche forces you to see its weak points, while listening to theirs sparks solutions you would never invent alone. Finally, society funds research to solve societal problems and push the boundaries of our knowledge. Working together not only speeds up this mission, but it also makes the journey richer, more creative and far more enjoyable for everyone involved.